Details about what might be included in the arts and history trail project are still being worked out.
City staff recommended at a July 12 council meeting that a committee be formed with nine voting members: one City Council member, two citizens, two businesses, two artists, one landscape architect and one experienced arts council representative.
City Council Member Holly Gray-Moore raised a concern about the formation of the committee, saying she “personally would like to make sure that we have more residents that are voting than people who live outside of the city.”
The arts and history trail project does not yet have a master plan but will begin working toward one once committee members are chosen.
City Council will look to appoint members of the public art committee and assign city staff to the project at the July 26 council meeting.
Mary Jo Tellin, the city’s administrator of marketing, special events and tourism, said while the project will take several years to develop and complete, the city will probably begin work on Oak Street first.
In a separate move, the old fire station at 200 Main St. will be getting a mural. The city has 12 artist candidates to consider, according to an operation plan for the arts and history trail.
The mural will cost about $15,000 and is being funded by the city’s General Fund Marketing Special Events budget, according to Tellin.
Staff’s goal is to unveil the mural at the 25th annual Celebrate Roanoke event, which is Oct. 9.
“One of the most important things we would like to do for this is give the city a mural to celebrate the 25 years of Celebrate Roanoke,” Tellin said during the presentation.
